Freedom Socialist Party National Office (Seattle) records, 1976-1998

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Freedom Socialist Party (U.S.)
Title
Freedom Socialist Party National Office (Seattle) records
Dates
1976-1998 (inclusive)
Quantity
3.09 cubic feet (3 boxes)
Collection Number
6293 (Accession No. 6293-001)
Summary
Records of the national office of the socialist feminist worker's organization, the Freedom Socialist Party
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Request at UW

Languages
English
Sponsor
Full processing supported by the Labor Archives Fund and the Labor Archives of Washington State Budget

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Freedom Socialist party is a revolutionary socialist feminist organization that does intersectional organizing against racism, sexism, homophobia, and labor exploitation. The FSP's political analysis sees women's leadership and political action as decisive to social change and trains women to lead in these campaigns. The immediate forerunner of the Freedom Socialist Party began with the Kirk-Kaye tendency within the Socialist Workers Party, led by Dick Fraser (Kirk) and Clara Fraser (Kaye) who were married at the time. The Kirk-Kaye tendency had a distinct analysis on civil rights, derived from the theory of "revolutionary integrationism," and took a more sympathetic towards China as a worker's state than the SWP.

The Freedom Socialist Party was founded in 1966, and had a differing analysis from the SWP's on black nationalist views of Malcolm X and the SWP's orientation toward the labor leaders rather than rank and file workers, and its relationships to the anti-Vietnam War movement, and its dismissive attitude toward the emerging feminist movement. The FSP advocated class solidarity between black and white workers, centered their revolutionary analysis around women's emancipation, and urged the anti-war movement to support the socialist, anti-colonial aims of the Vietnamese Revolution. FSP leaders Clara Fraser (1923–1998) and Gloria Martin (1916–1995) built on the socialist analysis of women's oppression to create a Leninist party that is "socialist-feminist" in ideology and practice. The party views the liberation struggles of women, people of color and sexual minorities (such as gay people) as intrinsic to working-class revolt, and it looks to these specially-oppressed sectors of society to provide revolutionary leadership. Women comprise a predominant part of the party leadership. Overall, membership is diverse and is composed of all genders and races. The party characterizes its National Comrades of Color Caucus as offering the party's diverse ranks of people of color an opportunity to work together as a team to grow as leaders and provide direction for the party's work in people of color movements.

The party has branches in a number of U.S. cities, as well as one in Melbourne, Australia. The Freedom Socialist newspaper is produced six times a year. Red Letter Press publishes books and pamphlets for the party. The FSP is affiliated with Radical Women, which is an autonomous socialist feminist organization. [Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Socialist_Party]

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Records of the national office of the Socialist feminist worker's organization, the Freedom Socialist Party. These records were collected and created by Clara Fraser, who was a co-founder and officer of the Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women. Fraser collected, created, and maintained these records as part of her work for the organization.

Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top

Forms part of the Labor Archives of Washington.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Labor Archives of Washington, University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, Freedom Socialist Party National Office (Seattle) records, 6293-001, Box number, folder number

Restrictions on Use

Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Donated by Helen Gilbert, who is custodian of Clara Fraser's Radical Women and Freedom Socialist Party records.

Separated Materials

Material Described Separately:

Radical Women National Office records

Radical Women Seattle Office records

Freedom Socialist Party Seattle Branch records

Related Materials

Clara Fraser papers

Megan Cornish papers

Processing Note

Initial rehousing and inventorying of the collection was completed by Labor Archives of Washington Curatorial Assistant, Chelsea Davies in Fall 2019.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1 Mailings & Bulletins 1985-1997
1/2 Clara Fraser's Columns 1992-1993
1/3 Freedom Socialist Party Seattle - Freebie Mailings 1977-1980
1/4 Freedom Socialist Party Seattle - Organizer's Newsletters 1980-81 1981
1/5 Freedom Socialist Party Seattle - Organizer's Newsletters 1979 1979
1/6 Freedom Socialist Party Seattle - Organizer's Newsletters 1978 1978
1/7 Freedom Socialist Party Seattle - Organizer's Newsletters 1977 1977
1/8 Freedom Socialist Party New York - Statement - Murry Weiss and Stephen Kass 1979
1/9 "Marxist Analysis of Lesbian-Gay Oppression" - Laurie Morton 1980? 1980
1/10 Radical Women - Seattle - Statements - 1982 1982
1/11 Statements - 1980-81 1979-1981
1/12 Seattle Public Relations - 1980 1978-1982
1/13 Statements - 1979 1979
1/14 Lloyd Cooney Editorial Response -Seattle - Yolanda Alaniz 1976
1/15 Election Endorsements - 1976 1976
1/16 "Radical Laborism versus Bolshevik Leadership" - Clara Fraser - Richard Fraser 1976
1/17 Seattle - Statement - Proposed Seattle City Charter - 1975 1975
1/18 Seattle - Recall of Mayor Uhlman - 1975 1975
1/19 Seattle - Freeway Hall Spray Painting - 8/73 1973
1/20 Labor - Seattle - University of Washington Student Strike 1970 1970
1/21 Labor - Val Carlson and Bellevue Schools 1978-1981
1/22 Labor - Max Reigel, Boilermaker - "Gay-rights Stand Debated at Labor Council Meeting" 1978
1/23 Labor - Libraries and Collective Bargaining 1977
1/24 Labor - Sarah White - Painters Trade 1977-1978
1/25 Labor - Bellevue Teachers Strike - Fall 1980 1980
1/26 Labor - Seattle Opera Strike - April 1979 1979
1/27 Labor - Henry Noble - Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Staff Association 1979-1982
1/28 Laura Teague - Firstbank Independent Employees Association 1976-1979
1/29 Hate Mail 1977
1/30 Labor - King County Labor Council 1978-1981
1/31 Labor - Stephen Durham - Restaurant 1970-1980
1/32 Labor - Susan Docekal versus Buffalo Sanitary Wipers 1977-1978
1/33 Labor - Trade Union Conference 1977 1977
1/34 Labor - Megan Cornish - Laundry Union 1973
1/34 Labor - Megan Cornish - Laundry Union 1973
1/35 Labor - Madelyn Elder - Communications Workers of America Convention 1981-1982
1/36 Labor - Doug Barnes and Laurie Morton - Metro Transit Bus Drivers 1977-1982
1/37 Labor - Auto Machinists Strike and Related Activities 1978-1979
1/38 Labor - City Light Fraction 1982 1982-1983
1/39 Labor - Olympia - Jobs and Justice Rally 1982 1981-1982
1/40 Labor - Henry Noble - Labor Coordinator 1977-1983
1/41 Labor - Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization Strike 1981-1982
1/42 Mass Work - Abortion Rights - Seattle Reproductive Rights Alliance, National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws, and others 1982-1983
1/43 Mass Work - Affirmative Action Coalition 1979
1/44 Mass Work - Women of Color - Gloria Anzaldua 1979
1/45 Correspondence - Radical Women - Clara Fraser and Members 1978-1982
1/46 Correspondence - Radical Women - National Correspondence 1981-1982
1/47 Correspondence - Seattle - Guerry Hoddersen to Organizers 1981-1982
1/48 Correspondence - Radical Women - Clara Fraser 1979-1981
1/49 Correspondence - Clara Fraser & Maryann 1981-1982
1/50 Correspondence- Seattle - Clara Fraser and Gloria Martin 1976-1982
1/51 Mass Work - Stonewall Committee - Seattle - Gay Pride March 1981 1981
1/52 Mass Work - Gay News versus Radicals 1980
1/53 Laurie Morton - Position Paper - Northeast Conference of Multinational Lesbian and Gay Male Feminist Socialists 1980 1980
1/54 Mass Work - Analysis of Washington, DC Third World Lesbian and Gay Conference 1979-1980
1/55 Mass Work - Coalition to Support Iranian People 1979-1982
1/56 Mass Work - Sandra Nelson - Native Americans 1982
1/57 Mass Work - Prisons 1979-1982
1/58 Mass Work - Anti-Nuclear Coalition 1978-1982
1/59 Mass Work - Chicanas and Chicanos 1980-1982
1/60 Mass Work - Blacks - Institutional Racism 1978-1980
1/61 Mass Work - Childcare 1982-1983
1/62 Mass Work - Anti-Draft and Anti-Military Intervention 1980-1982
1/63 Mass Work - Election Evaluations and Gay Rights 1977-1980
1/64 Mass Work - Gays - Marches and Demonstrations 1977-1979
1/65 Mass Work - Gays Seattle - Stonewall Committee 1982 1982-1983
1/66 Seattle - Correspondence - Clara Fraser and Guerry Hoddersen - Hall Staff 1979-1982
1/67 Correspondence - Specifics on the Minutes of each Branch 6/82 1982
1/68 Correspondence - Clara Fraser and Guerry Hoddersen 1981-1983
1/69 Correspondence - Clara Fraser 1977-1982
1/70 Correspondence - Condolence letters to Socialist Workers Party - Reed, Hansen, and Kerry 1979 1979-1981
1/71 Correspondence - Guerry Hoddersen to members 1982
1/72 Correspondence - Clara Fraser to Friends, Allies 1982
1/73 Correspondence - Between Clara Fraser and Hall Staff 1981-1983
1/74 Correspondence - Radical Women - Fundraiser Information 1985 1985
1/75 Correspondence - Fundraiser Information 1985 1985
1/76 Correspondence - Report on Newspaper Staff Retreat 1977 1977
1/77 Associational Privacy Rights - Petition for Supreme Court Review 1989
2/1 Events 1977 1977
2/2 Seattle Fundraising 1978 1977-1978
2/3 Seattle Fundraising 1982 1982
2/4 Correspondence - New Xerox and Hall Ventilation 1980-1982
2/5 Seattle Fundraising Prior to 1978 1977
2/6 Seattle - South Branch Agendas, Minutes 1981-1982
2/7 Seattle - Joint Meetings Agendas, Minutes 1982
2/8 Events 1982 1982
2/9 Fall 1982 Forum Series 1982
2/10 Seattle - Events 1981 1981
2/11 Events 1980 1980
2/12 Events 1979 1979
2/13 Staff Retreat - Westport 2/79 1979
2/14 Seattle - Events 1978 1978
2/15 Staff Retreat - Kalaloch Lodge 1979
2/16 Staff Retreats - Thanksgiving in Westport 1980 - Alderbrook Inn Resort 1981 1980-1981
2/17 Memos - Recruiting 1982
2/18 South Branch Memos 1978-82 1979-1981
2/19 Seattle - Branch Officers Elections 1981 1981
2/20 Radical Women - Seattle Comrades of Color Caucus 1982
2/21 Seattle - Collective Houses 1980
2/22 Seattle - Clara Fraser's Office Project 1978-1981
2/23 Correspondence - National Lawyers Guild Conference 1983
2/24 Seattle - Public and Press Relations 1980-81 1981-1982
2/25 Freebie Mailings 1982 (1 of 3)
A Roundup of Our National/International Activities
1982
2/25 Freebie Mailings 1982 (2 of 3)
A Roundup of Our National/International Activities
1982
2/25 Freebie Mailings 1982 (3 of 3)
A Roundup of Our National/International Activities
1982
2/26 Freebie Mailings 1981 (1 of 2) 1980-1981
2/26 Freebie Mailings 1981 (2 of 2) 1980-1981
2/27 Freebie Mailings 1983 1982-1983
3/1 Correspondence 1997 (1 of 2) 1997
3/1 Correspondence 1997 (2 of 2) 1997-1998
3/2 Correspondence 1998 - Anti-military intervention in the Middle East 1998
3/3 Correspondence 1996 1996-1997
3/4 Correspondence 1995 1994-1995
3/5 Correspondence 1994 1989-1994
3/6 Correspondence 1993 1991-1993
3/7 Correspondence - Secretariat 1983-1993
3/8 Swabeck Collection Materials 1988
3/9 Seattle - International District - Bush Asia Center New Offices 1989-1990
3/10 Comrades of Color Caucus 1997 1997
3/11 Comrades of Color Caucus 1996 1996
3/12 Comrades of Color Caucus 1995 1995
3/13 Comrades of Color Caucus - Revolutionary Sisters of Color 1994 1994
3/14 Comrades of Color Caucus - Revolutionary Sisters of Color 1993 1993
3/15 Post Convention Publications & Editing Work 1982-1984
3/16 Donations 1998 1998
3/17 Freedom Socialist Party International Office - International Executive Committee 1996-1998
3/18 National Education Coordinator 1987-1993
3/19 Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women Poets 1985-1996
3/20 Megan and Heidi paper - Women Workers - Sparkplugs of Labor 1989
3/21 Socialist Feminist Fund Drive 1997 1997
3/22 Socialist Feminist Fund Drive 1995 1995
3/23 Finances 1995 1995
3/24 Finances 1994 1994
3/25 New Freeway Hall - Finances 1993-1994
3/26 Freeway Hall Committee Agenda - Finances 1997
3/27 Freeway Hall Association - Finances - Karen's Kitchen 1989-1990
3/28 Freeway Hall Association and Committee 1985-1996
3/29 Correspondence - Political Committee 1987-1995
3/30 Correspondence - Publications Committee 1983-1984
3/31 Race Relations Seminar File 1991
3/32 Radical Women - Red Letter Press - Revolution, She Wrote (Clara Fraser) - Gay Resistance: The Hidden History (Sam Deaderick and Tamara Turner) 1996-1998
3/33 Red Letter Press - Gay Resistance: The Hidden History (Sam Deaderick and Tamara Turner) - 1997 1997
3/34 Red Letter Press 1996 1996
3/35 Red Letter Press - They Refused to Name Names: The Freeway Hall Case - 1995 1995
3/36 Red Letter Press - Woman Sitting at the Machine, Thinking: Poems by Karen Brodine - The Freeway Hall Case booklet
Check with bank number
1991-1994
3/37 Red Letter Press 1992 1990-1992
3/38 Red Letter Press 1991 1991
3/39 Red Letter Press 1990 1990
3/40 Red Letter Press - The Poetry of Karen Brodine 1990-1994
3/41 Red Letter Press - Bumbershoot - Karen Brodine 1989-1991
3/42 Red Letter Press - Karen Brodine Publications Fund 1988-1989
3/43 Correspondence - Secretariat - Political Committee 1997 1994-1998
3/44 Correspondence - Secretariat 1982-1994
3/45 Trotskyist Coordinating Committee 1989
3/46 Correspondence - German Embassy on the case of Roisin McAliskey to International Executive Committee 1997
3/47 Freedom Socialist Party -Correspondence - Memo between Clara Fraser and Yolanda Alaniz 1988
3/48 National Committee, International Executive Committee, and Political Committee Notes and Correspondence 1985-1994
3/49 Donations 1997
Bank checks & phone numbers
1997
3/50 Donations 1996 1996
3/51 Donations 1995 1995
3/52 Donations 1994
Bank check
1994
3/53 Donations 1993 1993
3/54 Donations 1992 1992

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Labor movement--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Labor unions--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Labor--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)

Corporate Names

  • Freedom Socialist Party (U.S.)--Archives
  • Freedom Socialist Party (U.S.)--Records and correspondence

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington) (host institution)